


Impossible Just Means Try Again

by Aria_Lerendeair



Series: Aria's SH Bingo Fics 2019-2020 [14]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec goes to Edom to rescue Magnus, Alec is part warlock because I say so, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Alec Lightwood, BAMF Magnus Bane, Immortal Husbands, Lilith Showdown, M/M, Magical Transfusion, Magnus' magic loves Alec a LOT, Prince of Hell Magnus Bane, Rescue Mission, Warlock Alec, happy endings, long distance communication, magical bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:21:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23480890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria_Lerendeair/pseuds/Aria_Lerendeair
Summary: Alec is searching, desperately, for a way to get Magnus back from Edom after his fiancé makes the ultimate sacrifice to keep Alicante safe.  When Alec does find a way, no matter the obstacle, he promises that he's going to bring Magnus home.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Aria's SH Bingo Fics 2019-2020 [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1595839
Comments: 66
Kudos: 687
Collections: Favorite Malec Stories





	Impossible Just Means Try Again

**Author's Note:**

> Written for my Bingo Fill: Long Distance 
> 
> This fic was not supposed to be 8k. And yet, what is it? 8.8K. 
> 
> One day my ability to write short things will return from war. ONE DAY.

"Alec you need to rest," Izzy said, crossing her arms over her chest. 

Alec ignored her and carefully rubbed his thumb over his ring, shaking his head. "Magnus isn't able to rest." 

Izzy stepped closer, frowning. "Alec, killing yourself trying to find him a way back isn't going to help him." 

Alec growled, low in his throat and stared at her until she backed up. "I not _trying._ I am going to find a way for him to come home." 

"Alec," Izzy repeated, her voice softer. "Magnus wouldn't want you to do this to yourself. You need to rest. When was the last time you slept?" 

Alec glanced past her and to the shut doors of their bedroom. Walking into the room to do anything more than shower made his heart ache so badly he could barely move around the pain. He'd managed a few hours in the apothecary, when the words started to swim and he had to close his eyes before he hurt. "I'm fine," he repeated. 

Izzy scoffed and threw her hair over her shoulder. "The last thing you are is fine." 

"It's been a week," Alec said, his heart seizing a little at the idea, at the distance between he and Magnus. He pressed his thumb to the ring again, breathing through the pain. "I am not going to leave him down there for a single second longer than I have to, Iz." 

"Alec-" 

Alec shook his head at her. "I'll rest when I've found a way to bring Magnus back. Not before." 

"I'll send Jace in to make you rest," Izzy snapped, glaring at him. "Drag your ass to bed, if it's necessary." 

Alec looked at her, his eyes narrowing. He felt, rather than saw, the room rattle around him ominously. "Leave, now." 

Izzy blinked and looked around the room with a frown. "Alec, was that..." 

Alec shook his head. "Residual magic from the loft. It does that sometimes. Responds to me. It's nothing." 

Izzy blinked again, but Alec had turned his back on her, clearly dismissing her. She took a deep breath and felt the air around her get heavier. "Please, please take care of yourself, hermano. We already lost Magnus. We can't lose you too." 

Alec's shoulders sagged a little and he looked over at her, offering a small smile. "You haven’t lost Magnus. Or me. I'll sleep tonight. I need to finish chasing down a lead from this latest book." 

"All right," Izzy said with a nod. "I'll see you soon?" 

"Yeah," Alec agreed, shooting her a smile as he listened to her head out of the loft, shutting the door behind her. He looked around the room and took a deep breath, soaking in Magnus' presence and pressed his thumb to his ring again. "You shouldn't do that while someone else is here," he spoke softly, talking to the magic he could still feel, even without Magnus here. "You're going to give them the wrong idea." 

The empty glass of water beside his hand began to fill and Alec reached out, lifting it to his lips with a sigh as he drank it down. Magnus might not be here, but his magic knew that he was doing everything in his power to bring him back. And he would. He would get Magnus back, no matter what he needed to do. 

~!~ 

Alec hadn't meant to fall asleep. He'd only meant to close his eyes for a minute, maybe two, while he waited for the response from the fire message that he had sent. Granted, the warlock he'd sent it to might have taken much longer to respond, but he could have started working on something else instead. 

He stood up and froze, blinking his eyes properly. He wasn't in the apothecary any longer. Alec took in the books, the candles and the skulls, the red sky and the throne that stood in the middle of the room and tensed at the sound of footsteps. He immediately pressed himself to a wall and into the shadows, away from whoever it was. 

When Magnus turned the corner and stepped into the room, Alec's head shot up and he moved out of his hiding spot. "Magnus!" His fiancé didn't respond to him and Alec blinked in surprise, walking closer to him. "Magnus, look at me, it's Alec!" Still no response. 

Alec frowned, even as he watched Magnus settle into the throne, his entire frame seeming to curl in on itself. He reached out and carefully brushed some of the hair out of Magnus' face, but it didn't move and his hand went right through the strands. "Oh shit," he breathed, staring at his fingers. He looked back to Magnus, and even standing right in front of him, Magnus didn't see him. "Am I a ghost?" 

There was no answer from the air, of course. Alec looked down at Magnus' hand and relaxed when he saw the Lightwood ring there, shining bright. Something eased in his chest and Alec shifted so he could pretend to press their foreheads together, one of his hands reaching out to touch the ring. Magnus jolted, immediately sitting upright and Alec startled, stepping back. 

Their eyes met and he saw Magnus' snap to gold, going wide in shock. Alec felt his heart stutter to a stop before it was pounding. "Magnus?" 

" _Alexander?_ " Magnus breathed, staring at him, afraid that Alec would disappear if he looked away for more than a second. "Is that..." 

"Yes!" Alec said, shouting the word, moving closer to touch Magnus, but his hand went straight through his arm and he growled in frustration. Instead he reached out and touched Magnus' hand with the ring again. 

Magnus' eyes dropped to the hand covering his, his heart pounding at the sight. "I can feel your hand..." he whispered, a tear dropping down his cheek. "The ring, I can feel..." 

Alec suddenly felt a tug and the world around them started to swim. His eyes frantically flew back to Magnus'. "I'm coming!" he shouted. "I'm going to find a way, Magnus, hold on, wait, I'm coming, I promise I'm-" 

The world spun away from him completely and Alec woke up in a rush, his eyes wide and wild, in Magnus' apothecary. He stood up and paced across the loft, frantically. He'd seen Magnus. He'd _seen_ Magnus in Edom and Magnus had seen him. How the hell had that happened? 

Alec forced himself to be as calm as he could when he sent Catarina a text explaining that he had seen Magnus, and when she appeared an hour later, he broke down everything for her. If he was right, if it had been Magnus that he saw, it could be something. It could be more than anything they had found yet. Alec forced himself to keep breathing as Catarina evaluated him, running her magic over him. 

"That's strange," Catarina breathed, turning to look at Alec's hand. "I need to see your hand, Alec." 

Alec blinked and offered his hand to her, and when Catarina touched the Lightwood ring, a loud crack sounded and she was blown several feet back from him, her eyes wide and shocked. 

"Well then," she said, wiping her hands off on her scrubs. "No need for that, Magnus, goodness." 

"Catarina," Alec said, looking down at his ring. "What was that?" 

Catarina blew out a hard breath and looked at the ring, studying it from afar before she tilted her head in consideration. "Is that a matching ring?" she asked. 

The memory of their proposal, of Magnus sliding the ring onto his finger like it would be there always swarmed over him and Alec took a second to breathe through the tears before he nodded. "Yes. Yeah. Magnus, he, when he proposed, he made a second. For me. He has the original Lightwood ring." 

"Right," Catarina agreed, keeping her eyes on the ring. "And if I'm not mistaken, you've been spending most of your time here, and some of the loft responds to you?" 

Alec frowned. He'd never heard it phrased like that before. "What do you mean?" 

"I mean," Catarina took a deep breath and blew it out. "Having a warlock in an environment consistently means our magic starts to bleed into our surroundings. You notice things like, Magnus never running out of the makeup he wants to use? Or your glass never being empty?" 

"My glass does fill up on its own," Alec said, gesturing to the one on the table. 

"Right," Catarina said with a smile. "Just like my favorite alcohols are always here whenever I visit. Magnus never needs to summon them, they're already here." 

Alec felt a fission of nerves up his spine, because it felt like they were on the precipice of something that was going to change everything. "What does that have to do with my ring?" 

Catarina looked back at it. "I think the ring is bonded to the original. Magnus would have copied it easily, but he's sentimental, and would have bound the two of them together." A glance up at Alec and the confused expression on his face forced her to elaborate further. "Meaning, you would always be able to feel each other while you wore them. A mood ring, of sorts, for each other." 

"Right," Alec said, flushing as he stared at the ring. "But we're too far away for it to work." 

"Except," Catarina said, looking around the loft. "You're in a place that is saturated with Magnus' magic. Magic that has claimed you as his, just like he has." 

Alec bit down on his lower lip, trying to conceal just how pleased that made him. He rubbed his finger over the ring and watched it spark again. He blinked in surprise, but Catarina smiled at it. 

"As a result," she said, gesturing to the ring. "Not only is his magic layering protective spell after protective spell onto it, I can feel those and that's why it won't let me get close, it's boosting the connection you two have." 

A breath caught in his throat and he stared at Catarina. "That's why I could see him when I was sleeping?" 

She nodded. "I suspect so. In fact, I suspect if you were to fall asleep, and the magic could sense it would be all right for you to do so, you could probably do it again." 

Alec had never wanted to sleep so much in his life than he did in that moment. But there was a more pressing concern. He cleared his throat and looked at her. 

Catarina held up a hand. "I know what you're going to ask, and the answer is that I don't know. I don't know what it is going to take to form a bridge, and if that bond is even strong enough to pull him out of Edom." 

Alec slumped and rubbed his hand over his face with a sigh, sinking back down onto the couch. "So we haven't gotten any further than we already were." 

"On the contrary," Catarina said, crouching in front of him. "You've been able to see him. See that he is all right. He saw you, knows that you are well, and are looking for him." When Alec's eyes met hers, she smiled kindly. "That is something, Alec. A great deal of something." 

Alec took a deep breath and blew it out hard, nodding to her. "Yes, you're right. Just, knowing that he's all right, that means more than anything right now." 

She smiled. "I agree. Now, I need to go back to the hospital and finish my shift - however, I want you to try to see if you can discover more about this bond." 

Alec smiled faintly. "I'll start digging through Magnus' books. Can you give me an idea of where to start?" 

Catarina summoned three large tomes to her hands and offered them to Alec. "Bonding items are covered in these. Start going through them and see what powers they offer. A lot of what you might read about you need to try with Magnus so you can understand the extent of the connection, got it?" 

"Got it," Alec said with a nod, taking the books. "I'll call you if I find anything out." 

"Good," Catarina said. summoning a portal for herself. She studied the shadowhunter in front of her with a frown. "And Alec?" She waited until his eyes met hers. " _Sleep,_ " she ordered. "Proper sleep." 

Alec scowled, even as Catarina left him alone in the loft. He rubbed his thumb over the ring again and some of the tension bled out of him. He was going to find a way to use this to get Magnus back. They would find a way. They always found their way back to each other and this was no exception. 

~!~ 

Several hours of reading later, Alec knew he needed to sleep. Properly sleep, like Catarina had told him to. The siren call of Magnus' bed was too much to resist, and after a quick shower, Alec crawled under the sheets. The bed was too big without Magnus, but he would have to make do for tonight. Alec reached out and grabbed a pillow, hugging it tightly to his chest with a sigh. He spun his ring around his finger, leaning in to press a kiss to it. If it was creating a link between him and Magnus, he certainly wasn’t going to try to take it off. 

Alec let himself drift off, imaging wrapping Magnus in his arms once again, holding him as close as he possibly could. 

This time, when he blinked awake in the throne room, Alec was expecting it and he nearly danced for joy. Magnus was standing by the window, gazing out across the world. Alec walked closer and he saw that Magnus had tears running down his cheeks. Reaching out to touch Magnus’ cheek, he scowled when his hand slid straight through. 

“Magnus,” Alec whispered, keeping his voice soft. Still no answer. _Dammit._ He reached down and wrapped his hand around Magnus’, pressing his fingers to the ring. Magnus jolted and shocked golden eyes spun to his again. Alec nearly sobbed in relief. “ _Magnus._ ” 

“Alexander, it is you,” Magnus whispered, staring at him in shock, then down at where their hands were touching. “How, how are you…” 

“It’s a long story,” Alec said, taking a deep breath. “And I don’t know how long I have. But the rings. They’re linked.” He watched Magnus take that in, clearly thinking furiously. “Fuck I miss you,” he breathed.

Magnus laughed, the sound hoarse and low. “There is not a single moment I do not miss you, Alexander,” he whispered. “If the rings are linked, and it is what is allowing you to appear here, like this, we need to find a way to make sure nothing can sabotage the link.” 

Alec nodded, stepping closer. He kept his hand on Magnus’ ring, and mimicked holding Magnus. “I’m coming for you. I’m working with Cat. I’m going to get you back, Magnus.” 

“Alexander,” Magnus wanted to cry, his voice low and hoarse. “I can’t leave. Even if you find a way, I can’t leave.” 

Alec pulled back and frowned at him. “Why not?” 

Magnus gestured out the window to the rift that was sealed by his magic. “I’m the only thing holding that shut.” 

Alec blew out a hard breath and he felt the world start to spin again, reminding him that their time was short. He looked back to Magnus and nodded. “I’m going to figure it out. I promise. Magnus, I’m going to figure it out. I love you.” 

“I love you too, Alexander,” Magnus whispered. 

Alec tried to cling to him, but in the next breath, Magnus and Edom were gone. He blinked his eyes open and into the golden sheets, staring at the first rays of sun that were peeking through the windows and dropped his head back to the pillows. Just for a minute, here, in the quiet of Magnus’ loft, surrounded by the knowledge that he had an even larger hurdle to climb, Alec would let himself be afraid. 

Pressing his face even tighter to Magnus’ pillow, a sob escaped him. Alec kept it muffled, carefully, against the pillow, but he cried himself hoarse until he didn’t have any more tears. When he looked up, his glass of water was on the bedside table, filled with ice and cool water. He wiped his eyes and reached out for it. “Thank you,” he whispered. 

He would figure this out. He _would._

~!~

When Alec explained this latest development to Catarina, he watched her face shutter and took a deep breath, fighting through his own fear. It had taken one evening to sleep on the decision he had made, but now he was sure of it. If they couldn't find a way to bring Magnus back, he would take a one way trip to Edom. 

Announcing this plan to Catarina, Alec waited for her to disagree, to say that they needed to keep looking, keep hunting for an answer, but Catarina had gone oddly still, her face blank. He cleared his throat and hoped it would make her refocus on him. 

"You love him that much?" Catarina asked, her voice quiet. "That you would leave your friends and family here, to go there? Knowing you could never come back?" 

Alec swallowed hard and met her eyes, letting her see the desperate certainty in them. He'd asked himself that same question. If he could leave Izzy, Max, his Mom, and Jace. The answer was the same, no matter how many times he asked himself. If it was for Magnus? Then yes. The answer would always be yes. 

"I do," Alec said, keeping his voice just as soft as hers. "Nephilim love once, and love deeply, Catarina. He is it for me. For the remainder of my life, however long that ends up being. He is my one." He met her eyes and blinked in surprise as her glamor flickered before it solidified in place again. 

Catarina took a deep breath and nodded. "You may be the first person I have ever met who might deserve him," she allowed. 

Alec swallowed hard. He understood that for the compliment it so clearly was. "Thank you." 

Catarina smiled and gave him a quick wink. "All right. The next time you see him, I want the two of you to take time to yourselves. I need time to do research with everything you've brought me." 

Alec nodded and closed his eyes, thinking of Magnus. "All right." 

"If there's anything further Magnus can tell us, great. But don't push him for it. I think the two of you need this time to heal from everything that has happened," she continued. "That ring doesn't make problems magically go away, you know." 

Alec wrapped his hand around the ring and nodded. "I know, Catarina. I know." 

"Good," she said with a nod. "Take care of him and give him my best wishes. We'll find a way to make this right, Alec." Catarina smiled faintly. "Now get some rest." 

"That order has never been easier," Alec shot back with a smile. He tightened his hand around the ring, breathing in deep. It was almost like he could feel heat emanating from it now, reminding him what was waiting on the other side. He watched her go, stepping through a portal and made his way to the bedroom. 

Falling into Magnus' side of the bed, Alec kicked off his shoes and leaned into the pillows, taking a deep breath. Magnus' scent was fading, but he refused to acknowledge that. As long as he could remember it, it would be here. He closed his eyes and tightened his hand around the ring. 

Not every sleep took him to Magnus, but most of them did. Often Magnus was alone, or with his books. They both knew what to do now, it was easier and quicker. 

This time, though. Alec appeared and found Magnus in the middle of a tense standoff. Lilith, with two demons on either side of her, standing in front of Magnus on the throne. She didn't see him, thankfully, so Alec moved closer and stepped behind the throne, glaring at her. She and Magnus were bantering, Lilith asking for entry through the rift. 

Alec could see the small pieces of fear in Magnus' face, even as he sent Lilith packing. The second she was gone, he watched Magnus crumple and stepped forward quickly. He was touching the ring before he thought better of it, kneeling in front of Magnus. "Magnus," he whispered. 

Magnus forced himself to take a deep breath, opening his eyes to stare at Alexander, crouched in front of him and concerned. "She won't wait much longer to make her move." 

Alec felt his heart pound and he tightened his hand on Magnus' knee, keeping the other on his hand. "You'll be able to defeat her, I know you will." 

Magnus laughed hoarsely. "You have more faith in me than I do myself, Alexander." 

"That's my job as your future husband," Alec whispered, giving Magnus' leg another squeeze before he realized what he was doing. His eyes shot down to his hand and he blinked in surprise. "I can touch you," he breathed. 

Magnus blinked and stared down at Alec's hand, and at the outline of Alec that seemed to solidify more by the moment. He reached out, hesitating, and touched Alec's cheek, a gasp escaping him at the feel of soft skin under his fingertips. "Alexander!" Magnus tangled his fingers into Alec's hair, pulling him up and closer, their lips sliding together like they had never been apart, desperate kisses that left them both panting for air. 

"How, how..." Magnus whispered, his hands cupping Alec's cheeks. "Alec, I'm afraid for you." 

"I'm not," Alec breathed, keeping his hands on Magnus' shoulders. "This is right where I want to be. With you, supporting you." He pressed his fingers tighter to the ring and remembered what it had been like to share energy with Magnus. He closed his eyes and focused on his fiancé, pushing energy at him until he was left panting and opened his eyes, meeting Magnus’, that were glowing gold. 

“ _Alec,_ ” Magnus breathed, his eyes fluttering. Alec had pushed a truly worrying amount of power into him and now he was starting to flicker in front of him. “Alec, you have to be careful, I don’t know what you’re doing and I don’t-” 

Alec kissed Magnus, holding onto him desperately. “I love you,” he breathed, staring into Magnus’ eyes until he and the rest of Edom fell away. When he blinked awake into the soft lighting of the loft, Alec sat up and took stock. The last time he had given Magnus energy he had felt tired for days, like he’d had the flu or been sick. Now, like this? It didn’t feel like he’d done anything at all. 

It could be nothing. 

It could be _something._

It might be _**everything.**_

Alec took a deep breath and forced himself upright. There was a glass of water waiting for him, and touching it, he watched a small spark dance across his fingers, just a brief flash of the same blue he’d seen Magnus use. Maybe it truly was something. 

~!~ 

The next time Alec saw Magnus, he knew that they were running out of time. But if his hunch was correct, he might be able to help. Truly help, for the first time in this mess. Magnus was standing at the window again and Alec strode towards him, reaching out to grab the hand with the ring, holding onto it tightly when Magnus jolted in surprise. 

"Alexander," Magnus said, relaxing. "I've been worried about you, you can't do that again, that was too much energy-" 

"Magnus," Alec interrupted. He didn't know how long they had and he needed to make sure they were on the same page. "I know how to help." 

Magnus blinked in surprise. "What?" 

"Listen. What I did the last time I saw you. Did it help? Did it give you power, there?" Alec asked, his voice urgent. If it hadn't done anything, he would have to start over, but based on what Magnus had said...

"I, yes, like usual," Magnus said, shaking himself. "And it's amplified in Edom, so to a truly disproportionate degree. I almost felt like I didn't need to drain myself to keep the rift shut." 

Alec let his eyes fall shut, relief, sweet and syrupy, sliding through him. He opened his eyes and stared at Magnus for a long, long moment before pulling him in for a kiss. "I know how to save you," he breathed. "I know how to do it now, Magnus." 

Magnus blinked in surprise. "I, what? What are you talking about?" 

"Giving you power didn't drain me at all, Magnus," Alec said, his voice turning urgent. He had to hurry. "I woke up, refreshed and perfectly fine. I wasn't drained at all. But if you still got the power..." 

Magnus' eyes went wide and his breath caught. " _Oh._ " 

"Yeah," Alec agreed with a swift nod of his head. "Exactly. Now listen to me, and listen good. I'm going to do it again. I'm going to do it for you every single time I see you. I don't want you to worry about me, your loft is taking good care of me in your absence." 

"I, what?" Magnus shook himself, trying to figure out what that meant. "My loft?" 

Alec nodded eagerly, leaning in to nuzzle into Magnus' neck, pushing power at him again, feeling it sink into Magnus with a happy sigh. He took a deep breath and pushed more, draining himself as he felt Magnus tremble, sparkles escaping from his fingertips. "Trust me, Magnus. I love you, and I think if we do this enough, you'll be able to close the rift. You'll be able to come _home._ " 

The idea was madness, it was impossible. But as power from Alec continued to flood into him and Magnus had to breathe through it until it was finally under control in his skin, he couldn't help the hope growing in his chest. "Alexander, you must make sure you're safe. I couldn't bear if anything happened to you." 

Alec nodded. "I promise. I'll take care of myself." He leaned in and kissed Magnus again, pressing their foreheads together. "I love you, Magnus. I'm going to get you home." 

Magnus let the certainty of that statement from Alec ring through him and tried to breathe. It felt like too much, but it was all that he had at the moment. It was the only thing keeping him back. "Alec, with all of this power, what if-" 

"You use it," Alec said, his eyes fierce, even as the world started to swim. "If she comes for you, and I'm not here, Magnus. You _use_ it. You use every single bit of it against her. Understand me?" 

Magnus nodded and clung to Alec for those last few precious moments until he faded away again and he was left with nothing but the heat of Edom and silence of his castle. He tightened his hand into a fist, gathering the power to a fixed point. It felt different than his usual magic, but it eventually settled under his skin. 

Maybe, maybe it wasn't wrong to hope. 

~!~ 

A week of visits, a week of feeding Magnus as much power as Magnus himself could stand, Alec knew that something was going to break. Every day, Magnus told him that Lilith was getting stronger, and every day, Catarina told him that there was something different about him. The magic from the loft wasn't settling into the loft anymore. It was settling into _him._

Alec could fill his own water glass with a thought now. And summon a book from across the room. 

It was only in the loft, and it was only when he truly concentrated and felt the static under his skin that was begging to get out, to return to Magnus. Alec exhaled hard and focused on summoning his bow again, drawing it in an easy motion. He would need to be ready. 

They would all need to be ready. 

~!~

Turning over the running of the Institute to Isabelle for a few weeks was easy. Everyone knew that he was mourning, and they were glad that he was finally taking the time to do so. 

Alec wanted to laugh, since nothing could be further from the truth. The last thing he was doing was mourning. But he had a feeling that the next time he went to Edom, it wasn't going to be simply in his dreams. There was something impatient about the power under his skin. It was pulling at him, demanding that he be ready. 

When Alec got himself ready for bed, he dressed in his gear, head to toe. He wore extra seraph blades and had his bow and quiver under his fingertips as he crawled into bed shortly after. Normally he would never dare bring his weapons to bed, but like this, he would need them for whatever was coming. 

Alec took a slow breath and pressed his face to the pillow, breathing slowly and deeply. He could feel the pull of the magic from the ring now. He could feel the tug that brought him to the counterpart. 

When Alec touched down on the castle floor, he knew that there would be no need to touch Magnus' ring. He slung his bow over his shoulder and looked at his fiancé. "Magnus," he called. 

Magnus jolted, his eyes going wide as he spun around, staring in shock at Alexander, dressed and ready for battle. "Alexander!" 

Alec grinned at him and opened his arms. "Come here," he ordered, watching Magnus dash across the room, jumping into his arms. He pulled Magnus in close, holding onto him, breathing in the scent of his skin, holding on as tight as he dared. "I've got you," he promised, kissing Magnus' temple. "I'm going to protect you now, just like you protected all of us." 

"Alec," Magnus breathed out hard, reaching out to clench his fingers into Alec's jacket. "You can't, you're going to get hurt, you need to go back-" 

Alec shook his head. "There's no going back, now. I'm here until we leave." 

Magnus blinked and stared in shock at Alec. "Wh-what?" 

"You heard me," Alec said with a nod at him. "I'm here until we leave. We're going to take care of everything and then I am going to bring you _home._ " 

"Alec, I told you-" 

"And you told me once I would burn the whole world down to make things right," Alec interrupted, kissing Magnus, leaning into him for another kiss, and then another. When he pulled back, he smiled and pressed their foreheads together. "I have a plan." 

Magnus gave a watery laugh, wrapping his arms around Alec, hugging him tight. He pressed in close and blinked in surprise when he felt something different. He put a hand to Alec's heart and reached out with his magic. When his magic touched something familiar, a bright seed of his _own_ magic inside Alec, his mouth fell open. 

"Oh, did you notice whatever happened?" Alec asked, looking down at his hand. "I didn't tell Cat about it, but since I wasn't hurting, I figured it was fine." 

"Alexander," Magnus whispered, feeling Alec's heart pound against him. "How, how is this possible?" 

Alec winced. "I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. I think it has something to do with your loft and your magic. It's been taking care of me, and I think it's the reason I haven't woken up tired any time I've passed you power. I think it's because I've been passing you power you left in our world." 

Magnus blinked and took a second to parse through that. "That's not actually possible, Alec." 

Alec shrugged and smiled at him. "I couldn't figure out another reason for me to be able to wake up after being drained completely. I went with it." 

Magnus closed his eyes and pressed his hand a little tighter to Alec's chest, feeling out inside him, breathing slowly. "Your stele still works?" he asked, his voice soft. 

"Yup, no problem at all," Alec said, holding it out and watching the tip light up. He lifted one of the seraph blades at his hip and it started to glow as well. "See?" 

Magnus nodded, relaxing a little that Alec hadn't managed to somehow give up a part of himself in order to be able to help. He wouldn't put that past his Nephilim, but that wasn't something that he wanted. It took another second for Magnus to realize exactly what it _was_ that Alec had done. 

"Magnus?" Alec whispered, feeling Magnus go tense. "What's wrong?" 

"Oh love," Magnus said, breathing out. "You've drawn warlock power into yourself. I don't, I don't know how the two halves are existing in harmony, demonic and angelic, but it could injure you." 

Alec shrugged. "It's yours. Your magic would never hurt me, no matter where it comes from. I've known that since the beginning." He lifted his fingertips and watched in amusement as blue sparks danced along his knuckles for Magnus, almost like the magic was showing off. 

Magnus' breath caught, staring at the sight of his magic dancing for Alexander, from _within_ him. It was nothing he'd ever seen before in his centuries. "That doesn't explain why you are here, my darling. What are you doing?" 

"It's time," Alec said with a nod. "To close the rift, defeat Lilith, and go home." 

Magnus blinked in surprise, staring at Alec. "Wh-what?" 

Alec smiled and winked at Magnus. "You think I've been feeding all that power so you can do whatever you want with it? We're going to close the rift. Then we're _both_ going to deal with Lilith." 

"Alexander, I can't let you-" 

"You're not _letting_ me do anything," Alec growled, wrapping his hands around Magnus' cheeks, pulling him in close for a kiss. "I am here because I want to be here. I am here because I belong at your side, whether on earth or in Edom. I am never leaving you again, Magnus, and it just took me a little while to figure out how to do that." 

Magnus swallowed, blinking hard against the weight of that declaration, hiding his face in Alec's neck. What was he supposed to do with something like that? Say no? That he didn't want it? That Alec was crazy? A hundred words threatened against his lips and Magnus tried to breathe through them. 

"I love you," Alec whispered. "I love you, whether we spend the rest of our lives here in Edom, or on Earth, Magnus," he kissed Magnus' hair and held onto him as tightly as he could. "I promise. I'm not leaving. We're together, and we're either going to defeat her together, or I'm going to stay by your side until the last possible moment. Understand?" 

Magnus blinked hard, a few tears escaping his eyes as he pressed in closed to Alec. "I understand, Alexander. I love you too." 

Alec smiled and grinned, kissing Magnus' temple, holding on tight to him. "Now, let's get ready to close that rift. I think you'll be glad to have all of that power back with you. After that, we'll take on your last problem." 

Magnus blew out a hard breath and nodded. "All right. We can do that." 

~!~

The journey to the rift was a longer one that Alec anticipated. Especially when he found out that Magnus couldn't simply portal them there. Alec had asked, but Magnus had shrugged and explained it could interrupt the rift itself. So they'd portalled as close as they could and began to walk, hand in hand, towards the rift. 

"You know, when all this is over?" Alec said, squeezing Magnus' hand. "We're going to have to have a long conversation about sacrificing for each other." 

Magnus laughed and shook his head. "I think that's supposed to be my line considering everything with my magic, isn't it, Alexander?" 

Alec shrugged and held onto Magnus' hand tighter. "Your magic was more important." 

"No," Magnus shook his head, tugging on Alec's hand until the shadowhunter looked at him. "My magic was not more important than you. Nothing is more important than you, Alexander." 

A sad smile crossed Alec's lips and he shook his head. "Not having your magic was killing you, Magnus. You needed it back, and he-" 

"Alexander," Magnus whispered, pulling Alec to a stop and into a kiss. "Listen to me. Nothing is more important than you. _Nothing._ " 

Alec breathed out slowly against Magnus' lips, his ring glowing with power and heat and he smiled. "All right. You know that I feel the same. I'd do anything for you." 

"I know. You are standing in Edom next to me," Magnus teased, beginning to walk again. Power cackled around him, causing the rocks on the ground to vibrate. 

"I am," Alec said with a nod. He pressed a hand to his chest briefly, something going tight and hot inside him the closer they got to the rift. "Do you have a plan?" 

Magnus shrugged. "Close it as quick as I can and hope that I'm done before Lilith realizes what I'm doing. Then we get out of here." 

"How do we do that?" Alec asked, following Magnus up and along a rocky ravine. 

"If everything goes to plan, I'll portal us home. The energy needed to portal to the surface is extensive, but I'm able to do it," Magnus said, stretching a little, flexing his fingers. A loud boom sounded across the plains and he froze, squinting into the distance. 

The sound put Alec on edge and he stepped a little closer to Magnus. "What was that?" 

Magnus frowned and started to move quicker. "I don't know. But I could feel Lilith. She's doing something, maybe trying to consolidate her power." He exhaled hard. "We need to hurry. If she starts looking for me, this is one of the first places that she'll come." 

"Got it," Alec said, shifting into a jog beside Magnus as they hurried. He didn't know how long it was before Magnus stopped, abruptly, and looked upward. Alec followed his gaze and his breath caught. This close, the rift seemed to be large enough that he could reach out and touch it, and he could see the towers surrounding Alicante. 

Magnus pressed his hands to the magic surrounding the rift and breathed out slowly, assessing the strength of it. It had held up, despite the attacks and attempts to break through it. "I'm going to need you to keep the demons off of me. Once they know what I'm doing, they might attack." 

Alec removed his bow from his shoulder and double checked his blades. "No problem." 

Magnus nodded and took a deep breath. "Shout if you need help." 

"I got this," Alec promised, his ring flaring hot as he took a few steps away from Magnus and drew his stele over rune after rune. His whole body was singing with power and he breathed in slow and deep. A cackle of lightning arc'd from behind him and Alec shot a demon that came around the corner of an outcropping a second later. 

"Here we go," Magnus shouted, waving his hands, pushing more and more power at the rift, grunting under the effort of bringing the two edges of the realm together, threading his power through them, sewing them back together. Edom started to tremble beneath their feet, shifting under the weight. 

Alec kept his bow drawn and pointed in Magnus' defense. He could feel the air getting thicker, heavier and took slow, deep breaths. The amount of energy and power Magnus was drawing from within himself and the realm around him was more and more by the moment. He sent up a prayer to the angels that they both survived this, because they were going to fight for every single inch. He wasn't going to lose Magnus now, not after all of this. 

"Well, well," Lilith said, stepping through a portal, studying her finger. "If it isn't the little princeling and his Nephilim." 

Alec shouldered his bow in an instant and drew both of his seraph blades. "Magnus!" he shouted. " **Hurry!** " 

Lilith laughed, her head falling back, her eyes bright as she stepped closer. "You think you're a match for me, the mother of all demons, Nephilim?" 

Alec glared at her, holding his blades steady and pointed at her. He shifted, just enough so she wouldn't have a clear shot at Magnus. He heard his name shouted behind him, but ignored it. Everything in him settled and the sound of his own breathing filled his ears. 

_In._

"Do you think you can hold me off?" Lilith taunted, summoning a ball of black magic to her hand. "That you are any hope against my magic?" 

_Out._

"So be it then, Nephilim, let's see what you manage to be, other than a disappointment," Lilith snarled. The ball of power in her hands grew larger and she smirked, sauntering forward. 

Alec closed his eyes and thought of the loft, of Magnus' smile and soft laughter. Of gentle kisses and warm hugs. Of a love so damn deep and overpowering, he would give up anything, _everything_ for it. He would do anything, become anyone, if it meant keeping Magnus with him, staying with him, for one more instant. He breathed in, reached for the small seed of Magnus' magic that he could feel inside of him. 

**"Alec!"**

Alec pulled and his eyes snapped open. He threw his own blast of magic at Lilith's, watching it dissipate an instant later. He took a deep breath, and no longer did he feel the heat and dust of Edom, it felt like it was partially his. 

"No!" Lilith screamed as the Nephilim stared at her with golden cat eyes. "Impossible! How?!" 

Alec smiled faintly, rolling his blades in his hands, magic starting to spark around his hands and up his arms. "I am his. I am claimed by him in every way that I can be. Body, heart, soul..." He spun and aimed the blades at her, clashing them against the black spiked blade she drew almost an instant too late. "And _magic!_ " he snarled, throwing another blast of magic into her stomach, shoving her back. 

Magnus glanced over his shoulder in shock and found Alec standing, his shoulders heaving, a mix of his blue and white-gold magic swirling around his Nephilim, drawing the power in from Edom around him. He spared barely an instant for it before he turned back to the rift. "Hold her off as long as you can, Alexander, I'm almost done!" 

"I've got this," Alec promised Magnus, raising his blades as he advanced on Lilith. Her eyes turned black and he watched her shift from the human form he was used to to a black skinned monster. He stopped and waited for her to move. 

"You're an abomination," she breathed, exhaling a laugh. "An angelic warrior who wields warlock magic like he was born to it. Who has allowed himself to be claimed by something other than the precious angel he swore himself to." 

Alec smirked, watching her tilt her head curiously. "I _gave._ There's a difference, Lilith. I didn't allow, I didn't let him take. I gave myself to him. I am his in a way that I will never be anyone else's. Not even the Angel himself." When she dove at him, he blocked the blow from above his head and swiped at her with the second blade, sending her dancing back. 

"Foolish little consort," Lilith breathed, her eyes flaring red. "I'll teach you a lesson for having done something as foolish as this. And then I'll feast on you." 

Alec settled into his stance, both his blades held in front of him. He could feel Magnus working frantically, the rift decreasing in size by the second. He just needed to last long enough to buy Magnus the time he needed. "You can certainly try," he told her. 

When Lilith came at him this time, it was a whirlwind of power, fire and shadow. Alec barely managed to withstand the assault, the element of surprise long gone. He managed a lucky blow across her shoulder, but when her wicked blade managed to connect with his side, he grunted and fell to the ground, rolling away from the death blow she attempted to deal a moment later. 

"See? Parlor tricks. That's all the magic is to you," she taunted. 

Alec took a deep breath, focusing on the wound he could feel. There was poison in it and he tried to order his magic to heal, but it burned and he barely managed to block Lilith's next attack before she sent him tumbling backwards. 

"Alexander!" Magnus turned to look at him, moving his hands frantically. He was almost done, the rift was almost shut. Alec's face was bloody and he'd gone pale, poison mixed with blood seeping out of the wound on his side. 

Alec dropped one of his blades and shifted to a one-handed stance, looking at Lilith, forcing himself upright, ignoring the burning in his side that was getting worse by the second. "No. Magnus is everything. His magic, his life, all of it." He swallowed and spit out the blood that had gathered in his mouth. "There is nothing I wouldn't give up for him, including my own life." 

When Lilith screamed, Magnus screamed with her and Alec watched the black power erupt from her, diving for Magnus, aiming for the rift. There was no way that he could stop it, or get between it. Alec tightened his hand on the blade and dove for her instead, using the single moment of distraction she had offered in attacking Magnus to drive his blade deep into her heart. The magic attacked him then, her red eyes turning to him, wide and panicked. 

Alec felt it tearing at his skin, ripping at his runes, and he stared at her, twisting the blade, driving it in deeper to her heart, watching as she screamed. "You," he spat. "Will not touch him." He yanked the blade out of her, watching as she exploded into ichor before he slumped to his knees, falling to the ground. The world around him, Edom, all of it, was going hazy and he tried to focus on the rift that was almost gone. 

"Alec!" Magnus shouted again, sealing the last of the rift with a violent wave of his hands before he was turning and sprinting for where his fiancé was prone on the ground. 

The second Magnus was closer to him, Alec relaxed, breathing out hard, sinking back to the ground as he closed his eyes. Magnus was safe, Magnus was _safe._ He'd protected him. "Magnus." 

Magnus knelt down next to Alec, his eyes racing over the destruction that Lilith's magic had wrought on Alec's body. "Hold on, hold on, I'll heal you, I promise," he panted, snapping his magic to his fingers, pushing it into Alec, driving out the poison and bleakness of Lilith that he could still feel. The small seed of magic in Alec barely responded and Magnus choked down a sob. 

Alec wanted to tell Magnus that it was all right, that he was safe, and that that was all that mattered, but he could hear Magnus whispering his name again and again. He forced himself to blink and groan as he felt the last of the wounds on his chest close. "Magnus..." he whispered. 

"I'm here, love, I'm here," Magnus promised, his fingers starting to shake as he pushed more magic into Alec. "Don't worry, I'm here, you're going to be just fine." 

Alec swallowed and reached up, taking Magnus' hand, stopping the constant flow of magic. He was sore, and in pain, but if Magnus couldn't summon them a portal, they were in more trouble. "S-save it. Need a portal, remember?" 

Magnus wanted to sob, but he nodded, summoning Alec's stele to his fingers before pressing it into his hand, helping him to draw over his iratze, the rest of the wounds starting to shut, slowly. "There, there, better?" 

Alec relaxed and nodded, especially when Magnus helped to lever him into more of an upright position. He sagged against the warlock and smiled a little, chuckling. "This is how I held you when you needed my energy for Luke," he whispered. 

Magnus cradled Alec against him, pressing his face against Alec's hair. "And you've saved me again," he whispered. When Alec didn't say anything, panic lanced through him, but a large exhale against his neck made him able to breathe all over again. "You're going to set a record not even Jace can break, Alexander. A greater demon and the mother of all demons?" 

Alec laughed, even when it made his chest Alec and he pressed his face to Magnus' coat. "Don't tell him that. He'll pout for days." He pushed himself a little bit upright when the world stopped spinning and blinked, rubbing at his eyes with a frown. "Why do my eyes hurt?" 

"Here, let me see. Might be as simple as some ichor got in them," Magnus said, reaching up to turn Alec's chin towards him so he could see his eyes properly. When golden slit-pupiled eyes stared back at him, Magnus froze, his heart pounding wildly in shock. 

"Magnus?" Alec asked. Magnus' face had gone pale and he was staring without moving. "Magnus is there something wrong?" 

"I..." Magnus swallowed hard, his mouth too dry to be able to form the words that he needed to. Alec blinked a few times, and his eyes didn't change. They were the same, his warlock mark, staring at him out of Alec's face. "Oh fuck," he whispered. 

"Now I'm a little worried," Alec said. "But you need to tell me what the hell is going on." 

Magnus sighed and met Alec's eyes again. "You didn't just take some of my magic into you, love. It manifested." He summoned a small piece of silvered glass to his hand and held it up for Alec so he could see his own eyes. 

"Oh!" Alec said, studying the eyes for a moment, blinking hard with a frown. "How do I make them stop hurting?" 

The complete lack of reaction threw Magnus and he blinked. "I, don't know what's causing the pain so I'm not sure." He reached out and tapped the corner of Alec's eyes, sending a small tendril of magic into him. When Alec sagged in relief, he smiled. "There, how's that?" Golden eyes smiled at him, and Magnus felt his heart start to pound. 

"Much better," Alec said, relaxing. "I like them better on you, but I guess they don't look half bad. You might need to teach me how to glamour them, though, it'd definitely cause some waves at the Institute." 

Magnus wrapped his arms around Alec and held onto him tight. "Let's, let's get home first, all right?" 

Alec hummed and nodded, carefully pushing himself upright, looking into the sky where the rift had been. He held out his hand for Magnus and tugged him up as well. "We can go home now?" 

Magnus breathed out hard, pressing in and against Alec. "Yes. With, with Lilith gone, and the rift sealed..." 

"Good," Alec said, pressing a kiss to the top of Magnus' head. "Your loft will be glad to have you back." 

"Just my loft?" Magnus asked, laughing quietly. "No one else?" 

Alec gave him a hard poke in the side and frowned at him. "Don't give me that. I got myself here, didn't I?" 

Magnus hummed at the reminder, and everything that had happened today. "This is certainly going to be an event for the history books. Catarina was helping you, you said? She's going to have to examine you when we get back." 

Alec shrugged. "I figured I wouldn't be able to get out of that. We do need to make sure I'm not hurting you by having your magic in me." 

"Hurting me?" Magnus said, fighting down a laugh. "Alec, you couldn't hurt me with that small seed of magic if you tried - I want to make sure it doesn't hurt _you._ " 

"I told you," Alec said, giving Magnus a grumpy look. "Your magic likes me. It wouldn't ever hurt me." 

Magnus breathed out a huff and narrowed his eyes at Alec. “That’s not how magic works.” 

“That’s how your magic works,” Alec said with a shrug. “Now come on. I want to go home.” He gave Magnus’ hand a squeeze and wrapped an arm around his waist. “ _With_ you.” 

Magnus laughed against Alec’s neck. “Sounds good. Long distance relationships were never my forte anyways.” Alec’s answering laugh as he summoned the portal was a sound Magnus wanted to hear for the rest of his life. 

**Author's Note:**

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